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Partial List of Items Prohibited/Permitted into the Gaza Strip

Gisha – Legal Center for Free Movement

3 pages

May 2010

The following list is approximate and partial, and it changes from time to time. It is based on information from Palestinian traders and businesspersons, international organizations, and the Palestinian Coordination Committee, all of whom “deduce” what is permitted and what is banned based on their experience requesting permission to bring goods into Gaza and the answers they receive from the Israeli authorities (approved or denied). It is not possible to verify this list with the Israeli authorities because they refuse to disclose information regarding the restrictions on transferring goods into Gaza. It should be noted that Israel permits some of the “prohibited” items into Gaza (for example: paper, biscuits, and chocolate), on the condition that they are for the use of international organizations, while requests from private merchants to purchase them are denied. For more information, see: Gisha, Restrictions on the Transfer of Goods into Gaza: Obstruction and Obfuscation, January 2010 (available at: www.gisha.org).

Prohibited Items*

Permitted Items

sage

flour

cardamom

sugar

cumin

sweetener

coriander

rice

ginger

salt

jam

cooking oil

halva

semolina

vinegar

yeast

nutmeg

pasta

chocolate

chickpeas

fruit preserves

beans

seeds and nuts

kidney beans

biscuits and sweets

lentils

potato chips

peas

gas for soft drinks

Burgul wheat

dried fruit

corn

fresh meat

lupini beans

plaster

powdered milk

tar

dairy products

wood for construction

margarine

cement

hummus paste

iron

frozen meat, fish, and vegetables

glucose

vitamins and oil for animal feed

industrial salt

empty bags for flour

plastic/glass/metal containers

medicine and medical equipment

industrial margarine

diapers

tarpaulin sheets for huts

feminine hygiene products

fabric (for clothing)

toilet paper

flavor and smell enhancers

baby wipes

fishing rods

shampoo & conditioner

various fishing nets

soap & liquid soap

buoys

toothpaste

ropes for fishing

laundry detergent

nylon nets for greenhouses

fabric softener

hatcheries and spare parts for hatcheries

dish soap

spare parts for tractors

glass cleaner

dairies for cowsheds

floor cleaning fluid

irrigation pipe systems

cleaning liquid for bathroom use

ropes to tie greenhouses

chlorine

planters for saplings

insecticide for household use

heaters for chicken farms

coffee

musical instruments

tea

size A4 paper

salami meat

writing implements

canned meat

notebooks

canned fish

newspapers

sponges for cleaning dishes

toys

sponges for washing

razors

mopping rags

sewing machines and spare parts

cleaning rags

heaters

all canned food except canned fruit

horses

za’atar spice

donkeys

black pepper

goats

sesame

cattle

powdered chicken stock

chicks

blankets

matches

candles

brooms

mops

dustpans

trash cans

aniseed

chamomile

cinnamon

wastewater purification powder

glass – 200 trucks

water coolers + heaters

mineral water

Tahini (sesame paste)

hair brushes

hair combs

shoes

clothes

wood (for doors and window frames)

aluminum

soft plastic bags

fruit

vegetables

hay

fertilized eggs

pesticides for agriculture

soil for agriculture

particles for soil dilution

chemical fertilizer

plastic buckets

plastic crates for fruits and vegetables

plastic chicken cage

egg cartons

cartons for transporting chicks

fiberglass and plastic trays for planting

various kinds of agricultural seeds

eggs (for eating)

greenhouse nylon

various kinds of veterinary medications and products

wheat

barley

animal feed

*Some of these items are permitted if they are for the use of international organizations.